I was on the field that day we just kept running because we assumed he was fooling around. It made us all feel very vulnerable. I didn't know Dave very well but I considered him a nice kid. We lost so many kids before graduation.

Hey Paul - I don't know if you remember me, but I was running laps that day, too. I vaguely recall the teacher (yeah, I forget his name - we weren't great pals)... yelling something like "C'mon Turner - get up, you goldbrick!" as people ran by David. In his defense - he did attend to him right away - but there was nothing to be done. We knew nothing about congenital heart defects before that....we were just kids. I was just telling my 13 year old about this the other day.

I was in DeMolay & a church youth group with David. He had a good attitude & was quick with a smile. I was never too fond of the gym teacher and when David collapsed I channelled my feelings into anger towards the teacher. After some time, I remember walking into the empty (or so I thought) locker room & seeing the teacher sitting alone on one of the benches, crying. I realized then that he was grieving just as the rest of us. I had never seen a teacher cry before. He was just a guy trying to do his best & some times we all struggle with "what if..."

Kevin I do remember you and the gym teacher on that day. In his defense I thought David was fooling around too. They were volatile times and due to the political times we as a generation were unruly and resistant. I wouldn't have wanted to be a teacher in 1970.

Ed, you are correct. The teacher was Tom Walsh. I guess he got along fine with most students, but he really didn't care for "hippies" or anyone who dared to question authority. It was not an easy time for authority figures or those who questioned them. Btw, I would not describe David that way. He seemed to get along well with everybody.